Students prepare to croon tunes at Daniel Boone

Kimberly Casey of Whitehall High School, Lehigh County, sings during District 10 Chorus practice Thursday at Daniel Boone High School. It's believed this is the first time the school has hosted the District 10 Choral Festival.

Voices will be raised in Daniel Boone High School tonight and Saturday afternoon when about 200 students from seven counties, including Berks, will perform in the District 10 Choral Festival.

Erin Benn, choir director at the high school and host director for the annual event, said this is believed to be the first time the festival has been held at Daniel Boone.

Students in grades nine through 12 had to audition in October to perform in the festival, she said.

All Berks districts and Berks Catholic participated in the auditions, along with students from Carbon, Lehigh, Monroe, Northampton, Pike and Schuylkill counties.

Dr. Jonathan Reed, music professor and associate director of choral programs at Michigan State University, will conduct the choir. He directs the university's men's glee club and previously directed district choral festivals in several other states.

School districts typically take turns hosting the festival because of the work involved, Benn said.

The district must send a request to the Pennsylvania Music Educators Association.

If the district is accepted by the association, the host director must find families to host the 200 students, make meal arrangements, recruit the guest conductor and keep in regular communication with the directors for the participating schools, Benn said.

The district must provide decorations and have a nurse on duty for the entire festival, including Thursday's practice day, she said.

Benn knows how beneficial the choral festival is for students because she performed in one in 1992 when she was a senior at Boyertown High School.

"These kids are the best singers in their schools, but don't have the opportunity to join forces with kids just as good as they are," she said. "When they come to a festival like this, they're surrounded by the best. Friendships are made between people who don't live near each other.

"It's not only the students participating. Other students from Daniel Boone are helping out or hosting students. They get the same social interaction. It changes the way you look at performing."